Let Me Hear You Whisper
by StrayAngel
Summary: This story is about Dawn but I wrote it between Season4 and season5, before Dawn actually showed up. So this story is based on all the rumors about her way back then.
1. ChapterOne

Let Me Hear You Whisper

(IMPORTANT: I WROTE THIS STORY BETWEEN THE 4TH AND 5TH SEASONS, BEFORE DAWN EVEN SHOWED UP. THIS STORY IS BASED ON ALL THE RUMORS ABOUT HER BACK THEN (CAN CHANNEL EVIL FORCES, ECT.), SO THIS DAWN SOUNDS, ACTS, LOOKS, AND IS YOUNGER THEN THE CURRENT DAWN.  IN THIS STORY, THOUGH, IT IS LIKE DAWN HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE. THIS TAKES PLACE IN THE 2ND SEASON. HOPE I MADE IT CLEAR TO WHAT IS GOING ON, PLEASE DON'T BITE MY HEAD OFF.)

Rated: PG-Usual Buffy violence

Let Me Hear You Whisper

Disclaimer: I don't own BtVS or any of the characters. Not even Dawn. They're owned by Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, WB, FOX, yadda. Doesn't that just suck?

Notes: Written late at night. I had that "Let me hear you whisper" song frickin' stuck in my head. But it's not a songfic, the song has very little to do with the story. My Dawn is different then the present Dawn. 1. Younger. 2. Different looking. 3. At the moment she has a speech impairment and can't say her r's or l's. They come out like w's. I had written this before Dawn actually showed up. Yeah, I've been jossed in way. Except it's as if Dawn has always been here. Did that make sense?

Characters: Dawn, Buffy, Joyce, Xander, Willow, Giles, Cordelia, Drusilla, Spike, and Angelus.

Distribution: My sites Zoinks! And Echoes Of Angels. Want it? E-mail me.

Season: 2

Spoilers: After I only have eyes for you and before Becoming.

P.S. Sucky story….

The girl stared intensely at the math problem; she titled her head to one side and chewed on the end of her pencil. With one motion of her hand she swept the hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

**I'm never gonna finish this!**

She looked up at the clock, then looked at the kitchen were she could see her mom talking on the phone. Quickly she got up off the floor, dropping the pencil and leaving her papers scattered. She rushed out of view of the kitchen and up the steps as quietly as she could. Her heart started pounding in her chest and her breathing got heavier. She turned the knob on the door and opened it ever so slowly because it squeaked. She peeked in then turned behind her having the feeling _she_ would show any minute. She quickly entered and slowly closed the door behind her. Her eyes scanned the room then saw it on the nightstand, the small book that her sister wrote down all her most private secrets. She picked it up in her small hands. She set it on the bed, and then she hoisted herself up and sat down on the comforter. She picked the diary up so carefully, as if it would shatter and break like thin glass if held too tightly.

She opened the cover and flipped through the pages. She laid on her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows. She curled her hair around her finger as she read or tried to. The words "patrol" and "Angel"  
showed up a lot. She wondered what they were. She knew what Cordelia was though! Her sister had wrote, that she was a "dog" like the dog in her books. See dog run. Dog run fast. Run dog run!

She giggled then gasped as she heard the frontdoor close and footsteps running up the stairs. She rolled off the bed and put the book back on the nightstand. She quickly squirmed and wiggled to fit underneath the bed. She pulled her foot in just as the door opened. She watched as her sister dropped her backpack beside the bed.

**Please don't lie on the bed.**

Just as she thought that her sister threw herself upon the bed. She squeaked and bit her lip as she was slowly being crushed! She heard her mumble something but couldn't understand. Then she heard her mom call.

"Buffy! Have you seen Dawn?"

Buffy scowled.

"No!"

"Can you look for her?"

Buffy said something but it was muffled, Dawn watched her sister, or more her sister's boots, walk out the door and slam it behind her. Dawn sucked in air from her almost suffocating then sighed with relief. She rolled out from beneath the bed, smiling. Ecstatic that she had done something _bad_ and not been caught! She opened the door, ready to run out. Only to crash into a form. She winced and looked up.

"You think I didn't know you were in there? How stupid do you think I am?!"

"A wot!" She tried to run past but Buffy caught her by the arm.

"That was a hitorical question!"

"I don't what hitowicaw is! Wemme go!"

"You not supposed to answer!"

"I don't cawe!"

"You asked!"

"Mom!!!"

"Were you using my make-up, again?"

"MOM!!!"

"Buffy, stop teasing your sister."

"I'm not!!"

"MOOOOOOOOOM!!!"

"BUFFY!"


	2. ChapterTwo

Chapter Two

"Wet me caww you sweetheawt, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm."

Dawn wrapped her fingers around the red crayon and scribbled hard, making the point break.

"Hmm, hmmm, hmmmm, hmmm, hmm, hm."

The phone rang and she was up in an instant. She raced toward the phone. She jumped up and pulled on the cord, making the phone come crashing down into her hands. She quickly held it to her ear.

"Hewwo?"

The sound was muffled.

"I can't heaw you!"

She realized she had the phone upside down and fixed it.

"Hewwo?"

"Hi. This is Willow, is Buffy there?"

"Hi Wiwwow! This is Dawn!"

"Hi Dawn. Can I speak to your sister?"

"She not heaw. She went out again. She's with Wiwwow and Axandew."

"Axandew? Don't you mean Xander?"

"I dunno, but she's with Axandew and Wiwwow."

Willow realized that Buffy was on patrol and had said she was with her and Xander as an excuse.

"Oh, yeah, here she is! You know when she gets back from my house have her call me kay?"

"Okay!"

"Bye Dawn."

"Bye Wiwwow!"

She went on her tiptoes to try to hang up the phone but couldn't reach.

"Mommy, pwease hang up the phone!"

She set it on the ground so mom could come and hang it up and skipped back to her drawing.

"Dawn! Time to get ready for bed!" 

Joyce called as she entered the kitchen and stepped on the phone, she sighed then hung it up.

Dawn whined.

"Mooooooooom!"

"Now Dawn!"

Dawn pouted and threw her crayon down as she went to her room.

----*----

After she got ready she popped back out. She saw Buffy reclining on the couch eating a banana.

"Buffyyyyyy! Wiwwow cawwed while you wewe with Axander and Wiwwow! She wanted you to caww aftew you got back from hew house!"

Buffy glanced nervously to Joyce.

"Oh. Oh, Oh, Yeah! She told me to call her when I got home. I so totally forgot. Thanks Dawn."

"Youw Wewcome!" 

She turned and headed back to her room. Running a brush through her wet hair. Afterwards she turned down her bed and jumped in.

"Mom!"

"Coming."

Joyce entered the sky blue room and smiled at her baby girl. She brushed the loose strands of hair out of her face. Joyce's hand felt cool against Dawn's hot forehead. She inhaled her mother's familiar perfume, mixed with the smell of flour. She leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Night sweetheart."

"G'night mommy."

Joyce kissed her again, and then got up. At the door she turned back. 

"I love you."

"I wove you, too"

Joyce smiled, then flicked off the light and was about to close the door.

"No! Weave it open and turn the hawwway wight on!"

Joyce's smile turned into a frown. Buffy passed behind her heading to her room at the moment.

"Why sweetheart?"

Dawn swallowed hard.

"Because the vampiwe wiww get me!"

Buffy paused, did a re-take, and backstepped. Forcing a laugh.

"Vampires, Ha. There's no such thing. Now the boogie man…"

"Mommy!"

"Buffy! Stop it!"

----*----

 "Wookie!!! Wookie, Wookie!! Moooooommmy!!! Wook!" (**Transelation: Wookie=Lookie)**

"Not now honey, I'm on the phone."

Mommy! I gotta gowd staw!!! Mommmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyy!!! I got a gowd staw! Not a siwvew! Gowd! Goooooowd! Mommy!"

"Not now!"

Joyce loosing patients raised her voice, and Dawn cowerd, jutting out her lower lip. 

She trudged over to the couch sniffling. She picked up her black crayon off the coffee table and piece of paper, and draws over the red.

"Hmmm, Hmm, Hmm, -"

She choked on her sobs but continued.

"Hmmm, Hmm, Hm, Hmmm, Hmmm."

**I won't cry! Buffy never cries.**

"Hmm, Hmmmm, Hmmmmm, Hmmm."

Buffy rushed down the stairs carring her bag.

"I'm going out! Bye mom."

Dawn jumped up.

"Can I come?"

Buffy glared at her.

"No!"

Buffy slammed the door behind her.

Dawn really felt like crying now. She rushed up the stairs and looked through her window at Buffy walking away.

**I'm going if she likes it or not.**

Dawn ran down the stairs, stumbling almost falling. She peeked around at the kitchen and saw her mom was out of view of her. She ran over to the door, opened it quickly and shut it quietly behind her.

She looked down the street but couldn't see Buffy.

**I'm going to have to run to spy on her.**

Dawn powered her toothpick like legs down the sidewalk. Running as fast a six year old could. Soon she was gasping for air. She stopped to fill her lungs. She looked around and realized she didn't know this place and she didn't see Buffy. She took a deep breath and continued running. Soon her breathing became raspy and she felt her chest was going to burst but kept running. Looking this way and that. Looking for Buffy or somewhere familiar. I deep, sickening fear arose in her stomach. She kept running, panicked beyond belief, she didn't see the rock on the sidewalk and went sprawling across the asphalt as she tripped over it.

She whimpered, biting her lip, and fighting back tears. She sat up and cradled her injured knee. She had ripped a hole in her pants, and blood seeped out through the cut. 

"I want to go home…"

She cried.

After a few seconds she stood, limping. She looked around but recognized nothing. All the houses looked haunted at dark. Shadows crept out of every corner. Her heart thudded and she became dizzy from fear. There was only one way to cure her fright. She'd done it since was real little. She started to hum as she trudged down the sidewalk. Soon, the humming formed words.

"Wet me caww you sweetheawt."

"Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm."

"I'm in wove with you."

"Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm."

"Wet me heaw you whispew-"

A much deeper voice joined the song.

"That you love me, too."

Before she could react a hand clasped over her mouth. An arm wrapped around her stomach and hoisted her up with ease, ignoring her feeble protests and mumbling. She was carried in to the dark. And was swallowed up by the shadows.


	3. ChapterThree

Chapter Three

Buffy smoothed down her wild hair before entering her home. She turned the knob and went in it. Joyce greeted her all to eagerly.

"Oh, your home."

Her mother's expression changed.

"Where's Dawn?"

"She's not home?"

"I thought she went with you."

Suddenly, the worst possible thoughts entered Buffy's brain.

"She's playing with my make-up!"

Buffy stormed up the steps and into her room. She looked under the bed, in the closet, everywhere!

"Where are you, you little brat!"

Just then Buffy saw the envelope and her heart stopped. It was sitting on her desk; it looked as if it had been thrown there. She turned to see her window was open. Hesitantly, she reached over and opened it. Her hand went to her mouth as she saw contents. She dropped it and rushed down the stairs. The door slammed. The paper gently floated to the floor. It was a nicely done sketch.

Of Dawn.

----*----

Dawn opened her eyes, blinked a few times and found herself staring at a very high ceiling. Her heart started a massive thundering again as she realized she wasn't at home. She laid there, frozen on the hard surface. She felt she wasn't getting enough oxygen to her lungs and started to breathe through her mouth, her chest heaved.

"I think your chit is awake, that or she's having a seizure."

**Okay, time to get up and run.**

She bolted up and jumped off, what she now knew was a table, and ran, only to run into a muscular form. 

"Now, now, why don't you be a good girl."

He grabbed her around her shoulders with his hands and picked her up that way. A small whimper escaped her mouth, feeling like he was going to crush her. 

"Wet me go!"

She screamed.

"I want to go home!"

She tried to kick him but he was too far away. He sat her back down on the steel table. He lowered himself to meet her eye-level.

"Stay."

Dawn gasped.

"Youw Buffy's histowy tutow!"

She saw over his shoulder another man in a wheel chair. He raised an eyebrow.

"Histowy tutow?"

"Awe you one too? Because wast time she got hew repowt cawd mom yewwed a wot. I think she needs a math tutow, too. Are you a math tutow? Or another kind of tutow? Because I think Buffy needs a wot of tutows. But I don't need a lot of tutows because I got a gowd staw on my papew even though mommy didn't wook at it and Buffy didn't wet me wawk with hew. But I went anyway and- "

The man in the wheel chair looked amused.

"She has a mouth on her doesn't she?"

A lady came into view and put her arms around Angelus.

"Is this the slayer's sister?"

"Are you a tutow, too? Wow, Buffy must get no Gowd stars, not even siwvew ones."

She paused.

"What's a swayew?"


	4. ChapterFour

Chapter Four

She tugged at the shackle put around her wrist. They had a lot. Most of them she slipped her hand through, this one cut her skin.

"This huwts!"

Her feet dangled off the side of the table. She kicked them back and forth.

The lady walked in again, she wore a really long dress, had long black hair, and was very white looking. She'd heard them call her Drusilla. That was a pretty name. 

**Much better then Dawn.**

She thought 

Drusilla came over to her and gently touched her face. The touch made a shiver go through her body. 

"Youw cowd."

She told her. The lady's hand went over and touched her hair.

"Luv, what are you doin'?"

Asked Spike, from the other side of the room. He rolled on over.

She ran her long, thin fingers through Dawn's hair.

"I like 'er hair. It's so pretty."

She walked around the table.

"Like a ray of sunshine."

She had a sort of disconnected sound to her voice, tinged with madness.

Drusilla closed her eyes and acted as if she was listening to someone speak.

"Hmm, Miss Edith…."

Dawn tilted her head to one side.

"Who's Miss. Edith?"

Drusilla lowered her head to Dawn's eye level.

"Want to meet 'er?"

"Okay."

She left but came back again holding a doll. It looked like what happened to Sally, Dawn's favorite doll, after her little cousin had got a hold of it.

"She can't see."

Dawn pointed out. Drusilla become a little grim. She looked at the doll and fingered its dress.

"She's been very naughty. She makes me see things…she tells me things…it makes the room spin. Very bad."

She poked at the dolls empty sockets.

Dawn understood completely.

"Sawah does the same. She's so mean I wish she'd weave me awone!"

"What do you mean?"

Both Dawn and Drusilla looked at Spike.

"Sawah awwows the monstews to get me. She use to pwotect me but she won't anymowe. She so mean! I wish she'd go away, now."

This sounds slightly familiar 

Spike thought.

"Who's Sarah?"

She looked at Spike in an odd way.

"What happened to youw haiw?"

"Let's try to stay on track, kid. Who's Sarah?"

Again she looked at him odd. Like he should know.

"My fwiend."

"She can channel evil forces, wheels."

Spike glared at Angelus as he came from the shadows. Spike realized that she blamed her imaginary friend for what was happening to her, like Dru blamed her dolls. Both girls had a child-like mentality and the only way they could deal with their powers was to blame them on something else.

"She can also make people believe false things. Create an illusion. But she hasn't accomplished that fully yet."

"Yes, if she could she'd be out of here by now."

"What happened to youw legs?"

Dawn piped up again.

Angelus was getting more then annoyed with the girl. He turned around with inhuman speed, within a moment he was next her, hands tightly squeezing her arms. Her heart rate grew quicker; it's quick rhythmic sound beating with fright. She whimpered and winced, it felt as if he would pull away and rip her arms clear off. He could too. He could kill her with one small blow, a twist of her neck, break her spine in two like a twig…he'd done it to many before her. But no. This one was too valuable. He couldn't just kill her any old way. 

"Temper, temper."

He released her and blood blossoms bloomed beneath her skin where his hands had been. He turned to the taunting Spike and glared. It was a little too much having a living, breathing, mortal child around. All too tempting with the blood rushing through her veins. With her heart busy pounding away. And that she continuously talked, at least now she'd maybe shut up. Her teeth were still clenched. Still bracing herself. Bracing herself for him to hurt her. Angelus then smiled at Spike. 

"I'm sure you can baby-sit while I'm out."

Spike scowled as Angelus left the room.

"Yeah, sure, why not."

Spike answered sarcastically but he was already gone.


	5. ChapterFive

Chapter Five

Buffy had contacted Giles and the others. Her mother had called the police to file a missing persons report. Buffy knew it wouldn't help but didn't bother stopping her mother. She furiously banged the phone back into the thing causing it to fall to the floor.

Buffy blinked and her jaw dropped slightly. Joyce started for the door.

"Come on Buffy. We're going to find your sister."

As she opened the door, there stood Giles, Xander, and Willow. Giles hand was raised about to knock on the door.

"Hello Mrs. Summers."

Giles said as she pushed past them toward the car. Buffy came following after her and then stopped where her friends were. Joyce got into the drivers seat, started it, and rammed her foot against the petal. She sped backwards down the driveway. Spun on the road, tires squealing, and raced down the street. All of the Scooby-gang just watched Joyce's actions, amazed. 

"Wow, supermom."

"Ah. I'll take you all to the library. We can consult what we are going to do there."

They piled into Gile's sad excuse for an automobile and went to the School.

----*----

For the last hour, Drusilla had been brushing Dawn's hair and humming. Sometimes giving it a sharp yank. Dawn was still shaken from Angelus. Spike was there, watching. She didn't ask him about his legs again. She guessed it was a touchy subject.

"Hmm, pretty kitten." Drusilla murmured. Running a delicate hand through the blonde brown strands.

"Pretty pet." She cooed again. She walked around the steel table Dawn was sitting on and shackled to. She knelt down, eye-level with the six year old. Her eyes were dark, tinged with madness. She ran her nails across her cheek, not pressing down.

"I want to keep 'er Spike." She smiled, "She's fun to play with."

"Don't get too attached, luv."

Dru didn't take her eyes off Dawn.

"I-"

Dawn started but Drusilla pressed a finger against her lips.

"Shh. Mummy's 'ere, li'le Dawn."

Dawn almost asked "Where?" but was too shy and afraid to. Spike knew what Drusilla meant and wanted; she wanted to turn the girl. 

----*----

 "We should just storm the mansion." Buffy said getting restless. All this waiting around…her sister could be dead by now!

"With all of Angelus's minions?"

Giles pointed out.

"We could take them."

Xander said.

"Yeah!"

Willow piped up eagerly.

"Let's remain rational. Getting ourselves killed isn't going to help Dawn."

"Well, we won't die."

"That's unlikely with the vampires there."

There was a silence. The situation seemed hopeless.

"Well, maybe he won't k-, maybe he doesn't do that to…. little kids." Willow said, but unconfident. She knew it was wrong but when everything gets bleak you grab onto hopes.

"Willow, this is Angelus, he rips children apart."

"I didn't need to hear that." Buffy said while she was sitting on the table, resting her head in the palms of her hands.

Xander put an arm around Buffy, trying his best to comfort her.

"Maybe she'll get out on her own."

"She's six."

"A very intelligent six year old. She got a gold star." Xander's humor was dry. He was as worried as Buffy. 

**If he touches her I'll kill him myself.**

----*----

She turned down the street she had been on at least seven times that night. She had been down every street in town. Multiple times. There was no sign of her little girl. And the one thing replaying in her mind was her yelling at Dawn when all she was trying to show was a gold star so she could be proud of her. Joyce's cheeks were already damp from crying and she wiped the fresh ones away with the sleeve of her sweater. If only, if only, keep repeating in her mind.

**If only I looked at it she wouldn't have run off, If only I paid attention to her instead of talking on the phone, If only I….**

But Joyce knew one thing: She was going to find her baby girl no matter what.


	6. ChapterSix

Chapter Six

It was really late. Way past her bedtime she knew. Drusilla had left a few minutes ago. It was only her and 'wheels'. She yawned, her eyelids were very heavy, but she was never one to fall asleep in a strange place. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a shimmer. A little wave in the air. It took on form and she instantly knew whom it was. Her eyes widened a bit then narrowed angrily.

"Whewe wewe you!?"

Spike looked over at the child that had been quite for so long.

"I can't bewieve you just weft me by mysewf!"

"Who are you talking to?"

She jerked her head back at him, surprised, as if she had fully forgotten he was there at all. She murmured in a quite voice,

"No one."

She then titled her head to one side as if someone was talking to her. She looked to her right and made a face.

"Is it your friend?"

Right as he got the words out she threw her head back violently. Her body jerked and twitched as if she was being charged with so many volts of electricity. Somewhat of a scream emitted from her throat, guttural, harsh. Something that shouldn't becoming from someone so small. 

Spike continued to watch, curious if this was the evil speaking through her Angelus had spoke of.

Her eyes rolled back as her heavy seizure continued. He realized that her harsh, deep, yell was actually chanting, or talk. It was fast and the accent was thick. Latin, most likely….

Suddenly, it stopped. Her body collapsed atop the table. Her hand twitched then her body relaxed. Her chest rose high as she took in the oxygen she lost, her breathing was labored, but other wise she seemed fast asleep. Her long, dirty blonde hair lay in her face as she rest. 

**That was interesting….**

--------*--------

Buffy checked her bag again, making sure she had everything she needed. Somehow they had gotten Cordelia to join in thanks to Xander. Giles and Buffy had tried to persuade Willow and Xander from coming but it was no use. Giles tried a weak attempt to persuade her into not going. Not happenin'. And as for Cordy, well, as according to Xander, "If we are going to die, it might as well be all of us."

They had a good supply of weapons on them, along with Xander having three water guns full of holy water. Who knows…. maybe they had a chance. 

--------*--------

Dawn opened her eyes, slowly. They weighed a ton. She heard voices. Even the dimness of the room made her head spin, she tried to raise her head but failed. She turned back and curled up into a ball on the table, keeping her eyes closed. Her throat hurt like it was on fire and her head ached. She didn't try to move afraid it would upset her again. She just listened to the voices….

Again she woke up, her headache now only a dull thudding. Her vision was blurred as she rose up. It took a second for her eyes to focus and adjust. She wondered if it was morning or still night. It was really dark inside the building. What if she had slept all through the day? Whoa, she had never ever done that before! What if she missed school? Oh, well, she didn't do her homework anyway….

She opened her mouth to speak, but only a scratchy, hoarse whisper came out. She winced and rubbed her throat. It hurt so badly

"What did you see?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice. Angelus was back from where ever. What did he mean what did she see? Was she supposed see something?

"I-I-I-I…uh….diddd-n't- "

"Did you hear anything?"

"N-no."

She didn't see where he was. She didn't know where he was. Suddenly she got a feeling and knew he was behind her. Before she knew what happened he was in front of her. His face disfigured, his brow jutting out. 

"Oh, well, might as well get it over with now. Leaving your corpse at the steps of **her house will be a surprise."**

He leaned in over her with a vicious growl, baring fangs. Dawn was frozen with absolute fear. Then came that voice, that sweet, innocent, undeniable voice.

"Angel?"

He paused, about to bite into the girl's jugular. He turned to face Dru.

"What?"

"Turn 'er for me."

He snarled, his back still facing Drusilla. An annoyed expression showed up on his face.

"Turn 'er for me, please…."

She asked again. Angelus looked at the terrified thing Drusilla wanted and got a sadistic pleasure from its fear. 

He then saw Spike roll into view to see what the ruckus is about. Angelus smiled.

"Anything for you, Dru."


	7. ChapterSeven

Chapter Seven

A few hours until sunrise. The police were still searching for Dawn.

**But they'll never find her….**

Buffy, with that determined slayer look etched over her features, made her way to the mansion. Following were the rest of the Scooby-Gang. She didn't have a plan, just charge in, get Dawn, and get out.

**If Dawn's still alive….**

**No, I can't think that way. Dawn is alive and okay and probably annoying them to death. Beyond death.**

Finally, the got to the door. She took a breath and kicked it in. They had their weapons poised, ready to fire. Right when she kicked it in she fired at the first vamp she saw; Giles fired his own crossbow at the second. Four more had heard the door being kicked in and rushed into the room. Cordelia fired the water gun at one and hit it directly in the eyes, as so did Xander and Willow with the other two. The one that got by was shot at by Gile's crossbow and in another step was ashes. Buffy quickly staked off the three-blinded vampires before they could recover.

--------*--------

"We have visitors."

Spike said.

Again, Angelus was interrupted; he pulled himself away from Dawn's neck. He growled.

"Buffy."

Dawn took this opportunity to scream.

"Buffy!!!!"

She struggled as hard as a first grader could against the shackles. Angelus turned back to her and grabbed her. Lightning-quick he dug his fangs into her neck. A cry escaped the girl's throat. Drusilla watched, fascinated as if it was all new to her, oblivious to the sounds of fighting in the other room. Spike, being too crippled to cause any damage to the slayer or to defend himself took to the shadows.

"Pet, you can watch the show from over here."

Drusilla looked at him then back at the slowly dying Dawn. Still, she complied with Spike's wish and went over to him. Dawn was starting to feel weaker, heavier. The knowledge of a vampire sucking away at her blood was fading. She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open.

--------*--------

"Buffy!!!!"

Buffy turned to the direction to the sound of her sister's voice. She was down the corridor somewhere. A vampire who had joined the party took this chance to give her a hard blow to the jaw. Buffy stumbled back but was able to recover in time to dodge a kick. She gave a roundhouse kick to it, landing squarely in the chest. He stumbled and fell to the floor. Buffy, using the stake in hand, bent over and thrusted it into its chest. With a scream, he bursted into dust.

Buffy scrambled to her feet and raced to the corridor hoping the others could take out the few vampires arriving. Only after taking a few steps, she was tackled to the ground by a large, muscular, vampire. She hit the ground hard, the air being knocked out of her. The vampire tried to punch her in the face but ended up being kicked off and Buffy scrambled to her feet. He attacked her again, ramming Buffy into the wall and sending a series of punches into her gut. 

As she was being pummeled she heard another cry. She needed to get to her. She needed to get to her NOW! She grabbed the large vampire's head and slammed it against her own. He stumbled back, Buffy took this chance to give him a good kick to the face and he was down. With speed faster then a vampire, she rammed the stake into his heart. She didn't even wait for him to burst into ash. She was already running down the corridor.


	8. ChapterEight

Chapter Eight

Buffy entered the room to see Angelus leaning over something on a table. To her horrible realization she knew what it was. She raised her stake ready to put it into his back, but at the last possible moment he turned and grabbed her wrist giving it a sharp twist making her drop the sharpened piece of wood. He threw her into the wall.

"Hey, love."

She was back up in a flash; with her fist she backhanded him in the face. In the second she had to look over his shoulder, she saw Dawn lying down on the table. Not moving. Blood trickling down her neck.

Angelus used her distraction to hit her hard in the face. She went into a daze, her vision went hazy. Too worried about Dawn she couldn't concentrate on fighting.

**Not good….**

She felt herself get hit again. And again. She lost her balance, tried to regain but failed. She felt herself fall against the wall. Angelus smiled, seeing the slayer weakening. He gave her a kick to the torso.

"What, Buff? Can't save your little sis? "

He taunted as he delivered yet another blow. He smiled, getting cocky with the taste of victory. His features then distorted in agony. He roared as a searing pain sliced through his back. He turned around enraged. Xander stood there with the plastic toy gun full of holy water. Angelus charged him. Xander sidestepped to reveal Willow holding a crossbow behind him. She shot it and the bolt embedded itself in his shoulder.

He growled furious and pulled it out.

**Now,  we have one pissed off vampire on our hands….**

Thought Willow as she took a step back. Wishing she and Cordelia hadn't lost their own guns.

Buffy managed to get over to where Dawn was. She looked over her tiny, frail body as she gripped the chains in her hand that were connected to the table melded into the ground and pulled. She had broken chains before, but now she was exhausted. She put one foot against the table to help, it being melded into the floor, but it didn't budge. She knew she had to hurry; Xander and Willow could not distract Angelus for long. 

Cordelia rounded the corner to get to the room, Giles following behind, the rest of the vampires were dust.

Just as she did reach the doorway, Angelus attempted again to tear into Willow and Xander. She skidded to a stop.

"Whoa!"

Her voice was nervous as she held up the wooden cross, Angelus faltered for a moment at sight of the cross, before managing to grab Willow and shove her hard to the ground. Xander pulled the trigger on the gun, but only trickle dribbled out.

**Stupid pump water guns.**

Before he could pump it up, he saw Angelus rush at him. Xander held the gun like a bat and hit him upside the head. Then the other side. Cordelia went over to Willow, never taking her eyes off Angelus, and helped her up.

Buffy continued to try to break the chains. She didn't notice the figure coming out of the dark corner of the room, not wanting her prize to be stolen. She crept up next to Buffy, ready to slash her neck with her sharp nails.

Cordelia got Willow to her feet and saw the vampire.

"Buffy! Next you!"

Cordelia threw the cross at her, Buffy looked up and with her quick reflexes, caught the cross and turned to her side, warding off Drusilla. Dru hissed but backed up. Angelus had enough with Xander and hit him hard enough in the jaw to send him backwards out into the hall. Giles fumbled for some sort of weapon and brought out a cross. An annoyed expression came over Angelus's face; he knocked it away only getting a minor burn on his hand. He advanced on the watcher.

Willow took the cross from Buffy to continue to keep Drusilla at bay while Buffy worked the chain.

"Why didn't we bring a battle ax, or a blow torch, or a chain breaker thing?!"

Cordelia said frustrated and frightened then noticed Xander down and went over to get him up. Buffy took a breath, gripped the chain tightly and pulled with every ounce of super slayer strength she could muster to free her sister.

Snap!

The chain broke Buffy scooped Dawn gently off the table and gave her to Willow who no longer had to keep Drusilla off for the vampire had slipped away. Buffy rushed over to Giles aid and brought both fists down on Angelus's back. It was just enough for them to slip by, down the corridor and out the door.


	9. ChapterNine

Chapter Nine

Joyce rushed through the hospital doors. Almost crashing into a nurse but made it to the waiting room, with barely a glance at the Scooby-gang.

"Where's Dawn?"

She demanded in a voice that only a mother could use.

"Room 254, Mrs. Summers."

She was already gone before Giles could finish his sentence. She ran down the hall and into the room. She saw her precious baby hooked up to machines, with tubes coming out of her, a sight no mother should see. Buffy was there gently caressing the unconscious girls hand. Joyce went over and kissed sleeping Dawn on the forehead, then rubbed the back of her hand against Dawn's cheek.

"How is she?"

For the first time since Joyce entered the room, Buffy looked up with wet eyes, on the verge of spilling over.

"She lost a lot of blood. She cut her neck on a piece of glass when she fell."

"How do you know? Do they know where she has been?"

Buffy nodded her head.

"We found her. She was okay, but while going home she fell on some glass."

Joyce's voice was full of surprise.

"You did? Where? Where did you find her?"

What could she say?

"Wandering around, near F Street."

"I was on that street so many times…."

"She was wandering. Like in a daze."

That was good. Now if Dawn tells the truth they'll just think she was dreaming.

"The doctors think she'll be fine."

Joyce stroked her youngest daughters hair. Then studied Buffy.

"Go get some sleep. I'll stay with her."

Sleep…. that sounded good to the slayer.

She went over to the other side of the bed and hugged and kissed her mother as she did back. The battered and bruised Buffy dragged herself into the waiting room. She knew her mother was so worried about Dawn that she didn't notice her older daughter's condition, luckily with super slayer healing, she'd be okay. Buffy stopped and faced her friends.

"Thanks guys. They think she'll be okay. You don't have to stay."

"Are you sure? We could stay."

Cordelia opened her mouth to argue but decided against it.

"No really, I've asked too much of you already. I'll be fine."

So the odd group of bloody and bruised teenagers and a librarian left with satisfactory that they had saved an innocent. While the slayer sat in one of the chairs in the waiting room, bringing her knees up to her chin, waiting for her little sister to wake up.

END


End file.
